Increasing the extrusion temperature resulted in extrudates with greater expansion, lower density and lower cutting force, while the retention of ethyl butyrate in the extrudates increased with increasing moisture content of the raw material.
The flavor acceptability on the hedonic scale was dependent of the moisture content of the raw material and of the interaction between extrusion temperature and screw speed. The most acceptable extrudates were processed with lower moisture, under conditions of high extrusion temperature and high screw speed, or low screw speed and low extrusion temperature.
The flavor acceptability intensity on the adjusted JAR scale was influenced by the moisture content of the raw material and the extrusion temperature. Flavor intensity closer to the ideal was observed at low extrusion temperature and low moisture content of the raw material.
Among the extrusion conditions studied for extruding flavored corn grits, those using elevated temperature favored extrudate expansion, while low moisture content of the raw material favored sensory acceptability of the flavor due to lower retention of ethyl butyrate in the final product.